FDA, Flavors, and the New Path for Some Vapes

On March 11, 2026 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a draft guidance that sets out how it will assess flavored electronic nicotine delivery systems. The guidance explains how the agency will assess the risk to youth and the added benefit to adults needed to outweigh that risk. The public may submit comments on the draft by May 11, 2026, and the agency said it will consider those responses before finalizing the guidance.

On May 5, 2026 the FDA authorized four Glas e-cigarettes, including Gold and Sapphire fruit flavors as well as two menthol products. The authorization relied in part on Glas’s device access restriction technology, which requires age verification with a government-issued ID and a smartphone. The FDA said it may suspend or withdraw authorization if continued marketing is no longer appropriate for the protection of the public health. The agency will monitor how the products are marketed and will act if youth use increases. Meanwhile, retailers and trade groups have urged U.S. officials to block illicit disposable e-cigarettes made in China, which have grown in the U.S. market and may complicate enforcement efforts.